BEIJING (Reuters) - China's sow herd fell by 22.3% in April compared with the same month a year ago, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Wednesday.

The decline in the number of breeding pigs is being closely watched by the global livestock market, as an epidemic of incurable African swine fever has killed millions of animals in the world's top pork producer.

The overall pig herd fell by 20.8% from a year earlier, the ministry said. It does not give total herd figures.